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Permalink Reply by Steven A Joliat on February 19, 2012 at 7:12am

There is relatively new technology that records the microseismic events that occur while the fracturing process takes place.  The data is used to evaluate and monitor the frac job.  Since the lines radiate from the well, I suspect this is what is going on at the well site.  They would likely have lines over a larger area and have different equipment for a normal seismic survey.

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Permalink Reply by Tim Yoder on February 19, 2012 at 8:57am

Steven,

How far would these lines normally extend from the well site?  Some of the seismic stakes run in a line almost two miles from the pad. I am very curious because the stakes end at my property line.

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Permalink Reply by Steven A Joliat on February 19, 2012 at 10:46am

Seems a bit far for that, but I've never actually seen one in the field yet.  If it was in place when they were running logs in the well before the frac job, it could be a vertical seismic profile.  If it were for 3D seismic surveying I would expect survey lines more than 2 miles from the well and you would see a lot of other equipment for a full scale survey.  Pinnacle / Halliburton is one of the companies that conduct the microseismic surveys if you have seen their trucks near the well.

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Permalink Reply by Steven A Joliat on February 20, 2012 at 3:45pm

I thought a bit more about the geometry of the wellbore yesterday.  If the laterals are approximately 5000-6000 feet long, then seismic lines going out approximately 2 miles on the surface from the wellhead make sense for a microseismic fracturing survey.

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Permalink Reply by Tim Yoder on February 21, 2012 at 1:25am

I spoke with one of the men working on the lines yesterday and he confirmed that the seismic lines are to monitor the frac. The well is being fracked yesterday and today. Thanks for your help.

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